Improvement in permutation-locks



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WILLIAM r. ENsicN, or New YoRK,-N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 84,177', dated November 17, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT I N PERMUTATION-LOCKS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pazt of the same.

*-QOH-' To all whom it 'may concer-n Beit known that I, WlIlLIAM F. ENSIGN., of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Burglar-Proof Look; and I do hereby declare that the following is full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved lock of that class whichis provided width a series of circular tumblers, having notches or gate-ways in their peripheries, to receive a stump, and admit ofthe bolt being thrown back.

The invention consists in a novel arrangement of toothed set-wheels, and locking-gear connected therewith, and also in a traveller, connected with the hub, and a series of annul; r guides for the tr; vcller, all arranged with the circular tumblers in such a manner that the tumblers may be adjusted in a proper relative position with the stump, in order to unlock the lock, and the set-wheels rendered capable of being adjusted separately, in order to effect the different changes, as required.

The invention also consists in a novel mechanism connected with the bolt, whereby a pressure of the stump on the peripheries of the circular tumblers is eifectually prevented when the lock is in a locked state, and a knowledge ofthe position of the notches or gateways in said tumbler-s rendered impossible. In the accompanying sheet of drawings- Figure I, Sheet No. l, is an inner side view of my invention.

Figure 2, a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line :c x, fig. 1.

Figure 3, a detached front view of the knob-dial, and rim encompassing the same.

Figuresfi, 5,6, 7, detached views of* parts pertaining tothe lock.

Figure 8, Sheet N o. 2, an inner side view of the lock, with the tumblers, and other-.parts intimately connected therewith, detached.

Figure 9 is the same view as g. S, showing the lock-bolt in a different position, in 'an unlocked state, it'being shown in alocked state in iig. 8.

Figure l0, a section ofii'. 8, taken in the line z z.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The lock represented in the accompanying drawings is what is commonly termed a slab-lock, all the works being attached to a metal plate, A, and the internal parts, when the lock is attached to a door, being encompassed by a suitable covering.

B represents a rim, which encompasses a dial, and is on the outer end of a shaft, C, the latter having a lscrew-thread cut on its exterior surface, and also having a shoulder, a, to bear against the plate A, the shaft being screwed into the plate, and the other portion of the screw working in an internal thread in the exterior plate or plates of the door to which the lock is applied.

The dial I) is on the outer end of a shaft, E, which I passes longitudinally through the shaft G, and has a' screw-thread cut ou its inner part, within the lock, on which a cylindrical hub, F, is screwed, (see iig. 2,) theinner end of the hub F bearing against the inner side of the plate A.

By this arrangement the shafts O E cannot be driven in or withdrawn from the 'plate A, and the illegitimate opening ofthe lock by this means cffectually prevented.

The outer surface of the rim B and dial D,- I have browned by the application of suitable acids, and. the letters, figures, or other characters thereon, .made in white, engraved or stamped therein, andiilled in witha-white metal or-suitable cement.

By this means the lock may be unlocked without dijiiculty in the usually poor light of a bank-Vault.

G represents a bolt-shover, which is constructed of a ring fitted on an annular guide, b, attached. to thel inner side of the plate A.

The exteriorof this-ring or bolt-shover is provided with a shoulder, c, which acts against a shoulder, d, on a slide, H, fitted on the bolt I of the lock, andworking on a stump or guide, c, which passes through oblong slots, f, in the slide and bolt.

. This slide H has a movement independent of the bolt I, and a friction-roller, g, is inserted in its rear end, against which the lower end of a vertical bar, J, is made vto bear by means of a spring, h, the upper end of J being secured by a pivot-bolt, t', to plate A.

The bar J is formed or provided with a curved arm,

j, which supports a bar, K, one end of which is secured-to the plate A by the same pivot-bolt, i, which secures the banJ to said plate. (See figs. 1,8, and 9.)

To the bar K a stump, L, is attached, and extends therefrom at right angles, and the free o1' disengaged end of the bar K is formed with a series of step-like projections, k, the use of which will be presently eX- plained.

M is an arm, pivoted to theplate A, ,and extending over the free or disengaged end of rthe bar K, said arm having aspring, l, attached, which extends down, and bears against the periphery of a wheel, N, which is attached to a bar, O, the lower end of the latter being pivoted to the bolt I, as shown at m.

Thisbar O has an oblong slot, n, made through it, to admit of a screw, o, passing into a slide', 12, which is fitted in a horizontal groove, q, made in the bolt I, said screw, o, connecting the slide p with the bar O.

P is a small bolt, which is attached by a pivot, gx, to the bolt I, and has a iight-angular notch, lr, made in its upper end to receive the slide p, when the bolt 1 is shoved out, and -the lock in' a lockedistate. (See gs.

' 1 and s.)

The lower part of the bolt P works within a lug, Q, attached to plate A, the bolt I? having a flange, s, at-

tached, in front of which a lip, t, on the lug projects.

The operation of these last-described parts is as follows:V

When the bolt I is shoved out, and the-lock in a locked state, as shown in figs. l and 8, the bolt I is prevented from being shoved back, in consequence of end of 'the bar J, which admits of the spring l throw! ing down the arm M on the free or disengaged'end of the barK, causing the step-like projections It' to act against the wheel N, and actuate the bar O, (throw it outward and upward,) so as to move the slide p out from the notch r of the pivoted bolt P, when the bolt I may be readily shoved back, and which is done by having an upright projection, t', on the bolt I, fit into a recess, u', in the bolt-shovell Gr, one end of said recess coming in contactvth t immediately after the movement of the slide H, which causes the liberation of the bolt I, as previously explained; the bolt I being shoved by the opposite end of the recess u coming in contact with. the projection t when the bolt-shovel' G is turned in the opposite direction.

The step-like projections k are an important feature of the invention, as they'insure a proper movement of the bar O.v

A smooth bevelled surface at the end of K would not answer the purpose, asit would be liable to bind or wedge against the wheel N.

It will be seen, therefore, from the above descrip-4 'tion,'that in order t0 unlock the lock, the bar K must rst be allowed to descend,in order that the bolt I may be liberated, and this result can be obtained only through the medinmof circular tumblers adjusted in a precise position, as I will now proceed to explain.

R R It R' represent annular plates, provided each with a pendent shank, fu, the lower parts of which are all secured to the plate A by a screw, S. (See iig. 2.)

These plates are concentric with the hub F, the latter passing through all of them, and the plates It Rf R have each an annular flange, af', -on which toothed rims, T T T, are fitted loosely,fone on each, said rims having an inwardlyaprojecting flange, b', the rims T T havingtwo projections, c c attached, one longer than the other, (see fig. 4,) and the rim T having onel'ong projection, c, only.

U U U are the circular tumblers, which are fitted loosely on the flanges b of the toothed rims T T T, and have au annular concentric groove, d', in one side.

In these grooves d' two plates, V V, of segmentform, are fitted, each plate having a pinion, e', attached, which pinions are retained in gear with .each other by springs, j", bearing against the plates V V.

The pinions e also gear into the toothed rims T T T", and serve as a lock for the same, connecting them` with the tumblers U U U. (See g. 4.)

The interior ofthe annular plates R R' 'R" I', when connected together, forms a series of annular grooves, communicating with each other by angular passages g. (See g. 7.)

These passages admit of a traveller, W, passing from within one plate to the other, and through the toothed rims T T T, so as to turn the rims, and the tumblers attached thereto, by acting against .the projections o c independently of the tumblers,

This travellerl is fitted in a longitudinal dovetail groove, 71.', in the hub F, and besides moving the tum bler, turns the bolt-shover G, by passing into arecess, t", therein, after all the tumblers arel properly adj usted.

" At the end of the hub F there is attached a spring,

j', (see fig. 1,) which throws the traveller into the passage g of the plate It, when the traveller is brought opposite to or Vin line with said passage.

In unlocking the lock, the hub F is turned to the right continuously, until the traveller W reaches the toothed rim T, which, with the tumbler U, is set by turning the hub F to the left, W coming in contact with the projection c,

The traveller then, on its return movement, acts against the short projection c of the rim T, turning said rim to the left, until the traveller passes through an opening, ax, in' its flange a', when the hub is turned to the right, and the traveller brought in con-tact with the long projection c, and the tumbler U adjusted in proper position.

The tumblerll is then adjusted in a similar manner, and the traveller, at the termination of its movement, enters the recess t in the bolt-shover G, and the latter is turned to throw back the bolt.

The object or necessity in moving the tumblers U U AU, is to bring notches or gateways bx, in the peripheries of said tumblers, in line with each other, and with the stump L of bar K, to admit of the latter dropping to free the bolt I, as previously described.

In order to effect the changes, it is necessary to disconnect the toothed rims T T T from the tumblers U U U", and this is effected by shoving the plates V V apart, in order to throw the pinions e out of gear with each other, which is done by passing a rod, AX, through the several tumblers, holes, 0X, being made in the tumblers and Shanks 'v of the plates R It R" R', and lock-plate A, for this purpose, said rod passing between the plates V V of each tumbler, and having a wedge-shaped end. (See iig. 4.)

By thus throwing the pinions e out of gear with each other, the rims T T T may be moved and adjusted andthe necessary changes effected.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The slide H, bars J K, with stump L attached to the latter', in connection with the bolt-lochin g mechanisrn, composed of the bar O, wheel N, pivoted bolt I), arm M, and spring l, all arranged to operate in connection with bolt I, in the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The steplike projections 7c, at the free or disengaged end of bar K, when used in connection with the wheel N, for the purpose specied.

The annular plates R R R" R, provided with the internal annular grooves, connected by passages g', in connection withfthe traveller W, all arranged for operating the tumblers, substantially as set forth.

4. The toothed rims T T T, in connection with the .pinions e e', attached to the slides V V, having springs f bearing against them, all arranged in connection with the tumblers U U U", substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. 'The combination of the tumblers U 4U U, toothed rims T Tl T, plates R It R R", traveller W,

and hub F, all arranged'to operate'in the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

i WM. F. ENSIGN.

Witnesses 

